Washington Injury Attorney Blog

The estate of a trucker who died after an semi-truck trailer accident involving another tractor-trailer driver, has settled a wrongful death case with the company that employed the trucker for an undisclosed amount after a jury awarded a $7 million verdict.

The widow and estate of Roger Reagan 42 filed the wrongful death claim claiming that Morgan Quisenberry, driving a tractor-trailer for Dunaway Timber Co., was negligent and reckless and caused the accident that killed Reagan. Quisenberry crossed the centerline and hit two other vehicles before hitting Reagan's tractor trailer head-on.

Reagan's truck caught fire in the accident and he suffered internal injuries, a crush injury and burns in the accident and he died of cardiac arrest.

It was proven that Quisenberry had exceeded the 11-hour maximum driving limit and that he had falsified his logbook to cover this fact up.

The estate also filed suit against Dunaway Timber alleging negligent and reckless hiring, training and supervising of Quisenberry. Quisenberry was hired without Dunaway Timber doing a background check and they entrusted the semi-trailer to him even though his driver's license had been revoked twice for driving while intoxicated.

The estate also claimed that Dunaway Timber assigned Quisenberry a trip that could not be completed without violating federal hours-of-service regulations.

Continue reading " Tractor-trailer accident results in confidential settlement after jury awards $7 million in wrongful death" »

In mediation, the family of Susan Slattery, 47, has settled a wrongful death and negligence claim against a trucking firm for $40.8M in damages for the trucking accident that claimed Slattery's life and seriously injured her two sons.(Citation: Slattery v. Estes Express Lines, Inc., No. 1116-CV-13913 (Mo., Jackson Co. Cir. June 22, 2011).)

In two separate mediation sessions, Slattery's family was awarded $6.2 for their wrongful death claim, $1.2 million for Slattery's son Peter's injuries and $33.4 million for her son Matthew's personal injury claims.

Slattery was driving with her sons Matthew, 12, and Peter, 15, when a large truck pulling triple trailers rear ended her vehicle. The force of the crash caused Slattery's car to be pushed under the rear of another semi trailer.

Slater died at the accident scene.

Slater's son, Matthew, suffered a traumatic brain injury in the accident. He was hospitalized for a month and is disabled, requiring 24-hour care. His future care and life care costs ranges from between $22M to $30M.He has difficulty communicating as he suffers from aphasia as a result of his head injury.

Slater's son, Peter, has mostly recovered from injuries which included fractures to his pelvis and face. His medical expenses totaled around $220,000 and he is still unable to participate in sporting activities.

Trucker's Negligence
The Slattery family claimed that the semi-truck driver, Douglas Bouch, driving for Estes Express Lines, fell asleep at the wheel causing the accident. They made a claim against Estes Express under the doctrine respondeat superior. They also claimed that Estes Express failed to have an adequate plan to supervise their drivers.

Continue reading "Family awarded $40.8M wrongful death and injury settlement in accident caused by trucker who fell asleep" »

If you’ve ever been in an accident and tried to collect an accident settlement from an attorney, then you know just how complicated, stressful and frustrating the process is. What should be a matter of asking and receiving the correct amount of money for your accident settlements is actually much more complicated than that and not nearly as straightforward as you may think.

The truth is, if you know what you are doing, you should be able to negotiate the right accident settlement without even hiring an attorney.

You may be wondering why that would be a good option. In fact, it often seems as though you would want a lawyer on your side during such a complicated process. There are a couple reasons hiring an attorney is not necessarily the best idea.

For one thing, you have to consider the cost. It may not be a financially sound decision to hire an attorney if your expected settlement is not that much. Remember you will always get less if you hire an attorney. Not to say they aren’t worth the money in some cases, but if you don’t get enough, you could end up spending money instead of receiving when it’s all said and done. A lawyer may be able to get you a higher accident settlement amount, but after they take their fee off the top, you end up with less than the lower amount you would have gotten on your own.

The other reason is that many personal injury cases are not as difficult as they may initially appear; in fact it’s often a straightforward process. If it’s a clear cut case of the defendant being at fault, getting an accident settlement amount that is fair should not be much of a problem.

When should you hire an attorney when dealing with accident settlements? If you aren’t absolutely sure the other party is fully to blame, and possibly if the dollar amount is large (more than several thousand dollars). In these cases, an attorney can make a difference. You can always hire an attorney if you think it’s necessary during any part of the process so if you start to feel like you’re unsure of what you’re doing, contact a lawyer.

Accident settlements don’t have to be complicated, and you have plenty of options to make sure you are compensated for your injuries.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents due to the negligence of another.

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Continue reading "How To Get the Most From Your Accident Settlement" »

If you have some kind of accident, such as a car accident, workplace accident, or even if you slip and fall on someone else’s property, you may suddenly find yourself trying to learn all you can about personal injury law.

Personal injury law covers personal accidents and damages that can be awarded when claims are made.

While you can file a personal injury claim for any type of accident, there are some things you should understand about personal injury law and how you can win your case.

For starters, accidents do happen, but sometimes they are just that-accidents, meaning no one is to blame. In these cases you probably won’t get far in the way of a personal injury claim.

If you file a claim and expect to be compensated for damages, you need to be able to clearly demonstrate that the party you are filing the claim against could have prevented the accident. For example, if you are walking down the street and fall on the sidewalk in front of someone’s house because you simply weren’t paying attention to where you were going, you are probably going to have a hard time getting a settlement from the homeowner. If, however you fall because the homeowner failed to remove a branch, or ice, or something else from the sidewalk and you fall, that homeowner may be responsible for your accident and may have to pay your medical bills or any other costs associated with the accident.

While this may seem like simple logic, personal injury law is a complex, and sometimes controversial topic. Many politicians feel that the amount of damages one can receive in a personal injury claim should be capped to a certain amount. Different accidents require different things however. Maybe you not only have medical bills from an accident, but you also can’t return to work due to a hospital stay. You lose money by not working, should the responsible party not be held liable for these damages as well?

Personal injury law is hard to navigate, and for that reason, if you feel like you need to file a personal injury claim, you should immediately contact a lawyer for advice. The lawyer can tell you what they think your chances are of a settlement and what the next step should be. You should get compensated if you have an accident that is not your fault, and a lawyer can help make that happen.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured due to construction accidents, motor vehicle accidents and slip trip and fall accidents.

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Washington Supreme Court upholds $6.5 wrongful death judgment in Spokane sewer plant accident

How to Find a Personal Injury Attorney

Continue reading "Understanding Personal Injury Law" »

The Tri-City Herald reports that Kevin Bruce Hensley, 51, of Arizona was killed in a trucking accident on Highway 125 near Walla Walla around 7:30pm last night.

According to the report, Hensley crossed the center line, overprotected and went off the highway and rolled his truck. He was not wearing a seat-belt at the time of the accident.

The Washington State Patrol says that excessive speed contributed to the accident.

This trucking accident occurred just a day after two people in a passenger vehicle were killed on Interstate 90 near Snoqualmie Summit in a collision involving several semi-trucks. In this accident, the Washington State Patrol believe that driver inattention on the part of the semi-truck driver was a factor.

It's ironic that both of the fatal accidents involving semi-truck drivers occurred during a week in which the WSP joined the National Commercial Vehicle Safety Emphasis which targets both truckers and drivers of automobiles to increase safety trucking safety.

In emphasizing commercial vehicle safety, WSP troopers ride along in commercial vehicles and target cars and trucks that drive aggressively around semi-trucks. They also inspect commercial vehicles and contact the drivers to ensure safety practices.

What a tragedy to have three trucking-related fatalities in our state on the same day.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in trucking and car accidents and the family of those killed.

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Oregon man sues Washington trucking firm for $4.5M after injury accident

NTSB holds forum on bus and truck safety

Two killed in multi-vehicle accident on I-90 near Snoqualmie Pass

Continue reading "Arizona truck driver killed in Washington state trucking accident" »

A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report on the benefits of Electronic Stability Control (ESC) in motor vehicles finds that it has saved saves lives by reducing rollover motor vehicle accidents. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety president, Adrian Lund says:

"ESC is the most effective safety technology introduced in vehicles since safety belts."

The NHTSA initially published a study in 2007 about the benefits of ESC but has now updated that study with these remarkable results:

• ESC in passenger vehicles reduces fatalities in motor vehicle accidents by 23%
  
• ESC in SUVs, pickups and vans reduces fatalities in motor vehicle accidents by 20%
  
• In single-vehicle rollover accidents, fatalities are reduced 56% in cars and 74% in other vehicles.

ESC is a technology which allows drivers to avoid accidents with the use of computerized technology which detects and minimizes skids. The technology can sense when a driver has lost some steering control and it automatically applies brakes individually to the wheels. NHTSA data finds that up to one-third of fatal car accidents can be prevented with this technology.

Like many new car features, ESC was first introduced into the luxury car market. It is predicted that ESC will some day become a standard feature in all new motor vehicles.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in car, truck and SUV accidents and the family of those killed.

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Electronic stability control reduces fatal car accidents by 33%

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Safety improvements to SUVs saves lives

Continue reading "Electronic Stability Control called "most effective safety technology since safety belts"" »

James H. Gerritt, 22, of Albany, Oregon faces numerous charges including negligent driving after he fell asleep at the wheel of his Peterbilt truck and crashed his tractor trailer rig into an unoccupied Washington Department of Transportation truck according to Tacoma's The News Tribune.

The trucking accident occurred early Thursday morning on Interstate 5 near Tumwater, Washington. The accident caused a huge traffic jam which lasted for hours and caused traffic to back up for more than five miles.

Luckily, no one was injured in the accident.

This accident brings to the forefront regulations for truck drivers. In this case, it appears that Gerritt falsified his log book and did not take the prescribed rests which is probably why he fell asleep at the wheel.

Trucker Safety Rules

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has proposed a new set of rules for Hours-of-Service (HOS) for truck drivers. Because driver fatigue is often the cause of big rig accidents, the FMCA proposes requiring longer breaks and shorter driving times. These proposed changes have come about after several major bus accidents in the past year. Current rules require:

• Property-carrying drivers can only drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 hours of consecutive off-duty.
• Passenger carrying drivers can only drive a maximum of 10 hours after 8 hours of consecutive hours off-duty.
• Property-carrying drivers may not drive beyond 14 consecutive hours after coming on duty after 10 hours off-duty.
• Passenger-carrying drivers may not drive after having been on duty for 14 hours, following 8 consecutive hours off duty.

Click here for a the Proposed changes for Property-Carrying Drivers.

Truck drivers are required to keep a log book of both their work and on-duty hours.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

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Washington State Patrol truck safety emphasis yields violations

Oregon man sues Washington trucking firm for $4.5M after injury accident

Department of Transportation applies ban to texting by commercial truck and bus drivers

Continue reading "Oregon truck driver who fell asleep on Interstate 5 faces negligent driving charges" »

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) has targeted commercial trucks for inspection in their "Roadcheck 2011" initiative. Troopers conducted a 72-hour emphasis patrol and inspected 1,189 in that period. It is definitely disturbing the number of violations they found especially in light of how many trucks are on our roads and highways and how many miles they log.

In conducting the safety emphasis, the truckers looked at critical safety systems and also the drivers and whether they were driving the proper number of hours by checking their logbooks and also insuring they have a commercial driver's license and medical certificate.
In the 3-day period the WSP actually removed 214 out-of-service due to safety violations. They ticketed another 1,765 truckers for equipment violations.

The WSP didn't only take trucks out-of-service, they also removed 40 drivers for violations of record-of-duty status, one driver for DUI and two drivers for driving on a suspended license. They also ticketed seven drivers for seatbelt violations.

Large trucks -- including tractor trailers, single-unit trucks and large cargo vans -- account for a disproportionate share of highway fatalities per mile driven. Large trucks account for a higher percentage of fatal accidents per mile than passenger vehicles even though trucks travel predominantly travel on interstate highways which are the safest roads.

When a truck and a passenger vehicle collide, the people in the passenger vehicle are usually the losers since trucks are so much larger and have a more ground clearance. In 2009, 3,163 people were killed in large truck accidents with 14% of the deaths occurring to the truck occupants, 70% were occupants of passenger cars or trucks and 14% to pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicyclists. There was also a staggering 60,000 people injured in accidents involving large trucks and buses according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. In Washington State, there were 453 fatal accidents involving large trucks and buses with 492 fatalities.

Continue reading "Washington State Patrol truck safety emphasis yields violations" »

An Oregon State man, William Geary, 60, has filed a $4.5 million negligence lawsuit against Express Transport Corporation of Washington State and the driver of a semi-truck who responsible for the December 21, 2010 trucking accident that left him seriously injured.

Geary maintains in his lawsuit that both the trucking company and the semi-truck were negligent for the accident that left Geary with a broken neck, spinal cord injuries and fractures to his neck, wrist, fibula, tibia and left knee.

Geary filed his lawsuit after the trucking company’s insurance company was not responsive.
The semi-truck accident that left Geary so badly injured happened as Geary sat in his pickup a truck at a red light, waiting to make a left hand turn. As he sat there, a semi-truck pulling two trailers made a turn and one of the trailers tipped over, crushing Geary’s truck and pinning him inside for an hour and a half. The semi-truck driver was issued a citation for reckless driving after the accident.

After 15 days in the hospital, Geary is no longer able to work and he has nerve damage to his arm and permanent damage to his knee and wrist. He seeks $1.5 million for medical costs and lost wages and $3.5 million for pain and suffering and other lingering problems.

Large trucks on the highways account account for many accidents and deaths in our highways. 2009 data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found that in Washington State alone there were 1,302 fatal and non-fatl accidents involving large trucks and buses. In 33 of those crashes, one or more persons were killed and 178 people were injured.
Most of the injuries and fatalities occur to the occupants of passenger vehicles rather than the occupants of the large truck because trucks often weigh 2030 times more than passenger vehicles and have a taller ground clearance.

Source:
A life in turmoil
A Central Point man is suing the driver and transportation company he blames for the crash he says ruined his health
Mail Tribune of Southern Oregon

Continue reading "Oregon man sues Washington trucking firm for $4.5M after injury accident" »

There is no doubt about it, automobiles are safer than they were 30 years ago. Motor vehicle accident deaths have decreased 23% since 1975 reports the U. S. Department of Transportation Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).

Fatalities have decreased in good part because of improvements in vehicle design including front and side impact air bags, seat belts, child safety restraint systems and increased roof strength, all which have increased the safety to the passenger in a car accident.

J.D. Power Study on Automotive Emerging Technologies Study

Drivers are still seeking improved safety features in their vehicles. A study by J.D. Power and Associates measured consumer interest and purchase intent for emerging automotive technologies both before and after a market price was presented. While consumers are interested in wireless connectivity systems, mobile routers, navigation systems and other technologies, the feature that drivers were most interested in (77%) was a blind spot detection device.

What is a Blind Spot?

http://www.hgfarber.com/lawyer-attorney-1275506.htmlCars, trucks, boats and aircraft have blind spots which are an area around the vehicle in which the driver cannot observe in their peripheral vision. In motor vehicles, blind spot are usually in areas of the road that the driver cannot see while looking forward or while using the rear view or side mirrors. Blind spots are usually at the rear quarter of the vehicle. Larger vehicles generally have larger blind spots.

To avoid car accidents, drivers must check their blind spots when lane changing or pulling out from the curb by either quickly turning their head or by correctly positioning side and rear-view mirrors as to reduce the blind spot. When backing up, a blind spot can be dangerous because the driver may not see a small child on a bicycle or a pedestrian.

Continue reading "New car feature drivers most want? Blind spot detection" »

The World Health Organization estimates that motor vehicle accidents will kill 1.9 million peope a year between now and 2010. Starting May 11, 2011, the WHO -- with the participation of dozens of countries -- have kicked off a global road safety campaign called "Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2010" and their goal is to save millions of lives.

Motor vehicle accidents affect all nations and is the leading killer of the world's young, ages 15-29. With 1.3 million people killed annually in motor vehicle accidents, car accidents are the ninth leading cause of fatalities globally.

In addition to those killed in motor vehicle accidents, 20-50 million people are injured every year, many seriously.

The Global Plan to reduce motor vehicle fatalities includes:

• Improving road safety
• Improving vehicle safety
• Improving emergency services
• Building up road safety management.

The plan also seeks legislation and enforcement of safety precautions including helmets for bicyclists and motorcyclists; mandatory seat belt use; mandatory child safety restraints; reduction in drinking and driving; reduction of speeding.

The Global Plan seeks to save 5 million lives every year and prevent 50 millision serious injuries in the ensuing decade.

Source:
World unites to halt death and injury on roads
Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 set to save millions of lives

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in car, truck, bicycle and pedestrian accidents and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages which includes medical care, loss of wages and for pain and suffering.

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Continue reading "World Health Organization kicks off "Decade of Action for Road Safety"" »

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) began a two-day forum today to discuss the prevention of truck and bus accidents across the United States and review the progress that the NTSB had made in bus and truck safety in the past decade.

The forum held on May 10-11, 2011 will discuss ways to improve bus and semi truck safety. The NTSB has made approximately 400 recommendations to reduce the number of truck and bus accident related accidents but there are still thousands of people killed every year in traffic accident involving buses and large trucks.

The forum will address:

• Carrier oversight
  
• Carrier oversight which would electronically monitor the number of hours a driver is at the wheel and other factors including a vehicle's size and weight
  
• Training and licensing of commercial truck drivers
  
• Driver safety
  
• Driver health and wellness
  
• Technologies which would increase safety including crash avoidance systems and electronic stability control

In truck vs. car accidents, 98% of the fatalities are the occupants of the passenger vehicle. In 2009, there were 1,781 passenger vehicle occupants killed and 44 large truck occupants killed in these types of collisions.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents and the family of those killed due to the negligence of another. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

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Continue reading "NTSB holds forum on bus and truck safety" »

The Washington Bureau of Labor and Industries is investigating the death of Allen Clifford, 69, of Sedro-Woolley, who was found crushed to death under his truck's rear wheel.

The Peninsula Daily News reports the on-the-job accident occurred in an industrial park south of Port Townsend. According to the report, Clifford had phoned in a report of truck trouble around 6:00am Wednesday morning from Sunshine Propane. An employee of Sunshine found Clifford crushed under the truck's rear wheel at 7:44am.

The Bureau of L&I is investigating the industrial accident since it occurred in the course of Clifford's employment.

Clifford's family will most likely be entitled to his workers' compensation benefits.

The family may be well-advised to contact an experienced workers compensation attorney who has experience with third-party claims and wrongful death. A personal injury attorney representing the family can look into what caused the fatal workplace accident. A Washington skilled personal injury attorney can help maximize net compensation to the victim's family.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in on-the-job accidents and the family of those killed.

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Continue reading "Sedro-Woolley man killed in Port Townsend truck accident" »

The Washington Department of Health has designed Evergreen Hospital Medical Center in Kirkland, Washington a Level III Trauma Center.

Level III Trauma centers can perform 24-hour emergency surgery and resuscitation. Previously, Evergreen Hospital was designated a level IV trauma center.

Evergreen was ranked #2 in Washington state and Top 10% in the nation for General Surgery by HealthGrades.

Harborview Medical Center in Seattle provides Level I trauma services in the region for patients requiring neurosurgery, plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery or a maxillofacial surgeon.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents, construction accidents and slip, trip & fall accidents.

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Trauma Center Levels

Harborview Level I Trauma Center - Seattle

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Continue reading "Kirkland's Evergreen Hospital designated Level III trauma center" »

Elyse Van den Bosch, the publisher of the Island's Sounder, The Journal of the San Juan Islands and The Islands' Weekly, and her husband, Fred Munder, were injured in an Orcas Island rollover car accident when the SUV they were riding in was clipped by an 18-wheeler as they were headed towards the ferry landing.

Colleen Armstrong, writing for the Islands' Sounder, reported the car accident occurred around 6:30am on Orcas Road as the pair was headed south near Cove Road. A trailer attached to a semi-truck crossed the line and hit the couple's SUV. The couple's SUV then rolled and landed upside down.

Munder suffered both a broken leg and arm and Van den Bosch suffered a fractured hip in the motor vehicle accident. The couple were both airlifted to St. Joseph Hospital in Bellingham where Van den Bosch was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for surgery.

The truck driver was cited in the motor vehicle accident.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents due to the negligence of another. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages including medical costs and for pain and suffering.

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Continue reading "Rollover car accident on Orcas Island injures Islands' Sounder Publisher and husband" »

The Washington State Patrol accident investigative team is seeking witnesses to a Kennewick 3-vehicle accident which involved a FedEx van and two passenger vehicles.

According to the Tri City Herald, Karen Arbogast, 51, of Umatillia was critically injured when a FedEx van apparently ran a red light and collided with her van at Highway 395 on Hildebrand Road on October 19 around 4:15pm.

Arbogast was taken Harborivew Medical Center in Seattle where she was reportedly in critical condition.

A third vehicle -- a Toyota driven by Alex Teimoouri, 53, of Kennewick -- was also involved in the car accident.

The FedEx truck driver, Timothy Rieksts, 48, and Teimoouri were both treated at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland.

The Washington Patrol is asking anyone who witnessed the accident or events leading up to the collision, to call Detective Sgt. Jerry Cooper at (360) 805-1192 or Detective Curt Ladines (360) 805-1160.

Red light violations are estimated to cause 260,000 motor vehicle accidents every year. Drivers often run stop lights when they are distracted or fail to see the red light. Drivers are more apt to run a red light during rush hour or when traffic is heavy.

It has not yet been determined what charges will be filed against the FedEx truck driver. If he was distracted, under the influence of alcohol or otherwise negligent, he could face criminal charges. If it is determined he was at fault, then he and his employer may be liable for the injured parties losses which could include medical costs, loss of wages and pain and suffering.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents due to the negligence of another.

Continue reading "Umatillia woman woman critically injured in collision with FedEx van" »

The Washington State Patrol is investigating a Highway 12 motor vehicle accident in which a car and a semi-truck collided.

The Union-Bulletin of the Walla Walla Valley reports that a car driven by Rodolfo Rodriguez, 37, of Pasco ran a red light and collided with a semi truck which was turning onto the Highway.

Rodriguez was injured and taken to Lourdes Medical Center in Pasco. His passenger, Maria Prado, 40, also of Pasco, was taken to Kadlec Medical Center in Richland.

The semi truck driver, Stephen Martinez, 24, of Pasco, was not injured in the motor vehicle accident.

Washington State Vehicle Code RCW 46.61.055 states that you may not enter an intersection if the light is red. The code states:

 Vehicle operators facing a steady circular red signal alone shall stop at a clearly marked stop line, but if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection control area and shall remain standing until an indication to proceed is shown.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents and the family of those killed

Continue reading "Man and woman injured in Pasco accident involving semitruck" »

Just a day after we posted an article about a school bus driver photographed texting while driving a bus load of school children, a TriMet bus driver in Portland, Oregon was videotaped by a passenger reading on a Kindle device while driving a metro bus.

King5.com of Seattle showed the videotape which clearly shows the bus driver with his Kindle laying on the dashboard directly under the bus steering wheel. The driver appears to be looking down, reading and even using the page turn button while speeding down Interstate 5.

TriMet terminated the driver saying:

"Operator Lahcen Qouchbane was terminated for posing an immediate threat to public safety and violation of district policy."

Distracted driving is a leading cause of motor vehicle accident fatalities. In Washington state, it is a significant problem even though a hands-free cell phone law was enacted within the past year. The Washington Department of Transportation estimates that an average of 160 people are killed every year in accidents related to distracted driving in the state.

Behaviors including text messaging, cell phone usage, eating, reading, applying make-up, fiddling with radio controls are what comes to mind when one thinks of distracted driving. Maybe Kindle-reading should be added to the list.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in Seattle motor vehicle accidents caused by the negligence of another driver, including distracted driving. We represent the family of those killed in their wrongful death lawsuits.

See our article on What if my accident was caused by someone using a cell phone?

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School bus driver caught on camera texting and driving

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Continue reading "Bus driver fired for using a Kindle reading device while driving" »

Distracted driving is one of the number one causes of car accident deaths. Distracted driving remains a significant problem in Washington state even through the hands-free cell phone law was enacted. An average of 160 people are killed every year in Washington in car accidents in which the driver was distracted. Distracted driving includes behaviors such as text messaging, eating, reading, applying make-up, attending to children and fiddling with radio controls.

When we look at accident statistics involving distracted driving, in 66% of the cases it is the driver who is killed. 25% of the people killed in car accidents where distracted driving was a factor occur to people between the ages of 16 and 25.

The top 5 counties in Washington State where a death was related to distracted driving are:

• King
• Pierce
• Yakima
• Snohomish
• Thurston

The hours between 3:00pm and 5:59pm is the peak time for distracted driving-related fatalities with the average of 23% of deaths occurred during those hours.

The distracted driver is a negligent driver and thus can be held accountable for his or her actions just as if he or she was driving under the influence of alcohol or breaking another of the myriad of traffic laws.

If the automobile accident in which you were injured was caused by someone using a cell phone or otherwise distracted, you may have a valid case in which you can seek compensation for your damages. At The Farber Law Group, we have more than 30 years experience representing car accident victims and their families.

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Continue reading "Washington state averages 160 distracted driving fatalities per year" »

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is one of the major causes of accidental death and disability in the United States. Causes of TBI can include falls, motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries and violence.

Because brain injuries are so devastating, there is a great effort in creating technologies to prevent and protect from these injuries. Seat belts, motorcycle and bicycle helmets are an example of technologies that have reduced the incidence of severe injury.

Causes of TBI

• Falls account to more than 35% of TBI injuries. Falls account for half of the injuries in children under the age of 14 and are the leading cause of brain injuries in older adults.
  
• Motor vehicle accidents - 17% of all TBIs are caused by motor vehicle accidents and this is the leading cause of TBI-related deaths.
  
• Struck by/against events -- Getting hit in the head or colliding with a fixed object accounts for 16.5% of all TBI injuries.
  
• Assault and domestic violence/child abuse -- 10% of TBIs in the general population are caused by assault. War-related injuries are not included in this figure.
  
• Bicycle accidents - account for 3% of accidental brain injuries..

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We have more than 30 years experience in representing brain injury victims and their families. Brain injury litigation is complex and requires attorneys who are experienced in the medical and legal issues involved. With our help, you may recover compensation for your injuries.

See our Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Resources

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.